


The Adventures Of NoelDarling The Human Paladin. #3

by Noeldarling



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-13
Updated: 2016-01-13
Packaged: 2018-05-13 19:02:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5713570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noeldarling/pseuds/Noeldarling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The third instalment in the story of NoelDarling the Paladin. It is set during the opening quest-line for the Warlords Of Draenor expansion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Adventures Of NoelDarling The Human Paladin. #3

30  
An explosion.  
26  
A demon striking with it's halberd in hand.  
19  
A swirl of grey mist.  
15  
A piercing arrow.  
6  
An icy blue bolt of energy.  
0  
"Boom, I win again" Noeldarling yelled as he got out of chair and started doing laps around the room, arms in the air, mimicking a cheering crowd.  
"Bah, you're just lucky", came the voice of Noel's defeated opponent. Short brown hair, bright blue eyes, shorter than Noel, Edorion the male human warrior, was Noel's new BFF in the Silvermoon universe. He was a loyal and eager companion. They had battled together all throughout Pandaria. Taking Noel's advice Edorion had also purchased a small apartment in the mage city of Dalaran, on the icy continent of Northrend. In their spare time the pair liked to put down their swords, and battle each other in a game of Hearthstone. Recently though, Edorion had become interested in the history of the world, and Noel being a bit of history buff had obliged Edorion with a tale or two, even acting out a scene or two. They covered from the original coming of the burning legion on the elves and their sunwell, to the late leader of the Kirin Tor, Rhonin's adventures in Grim Batol, to the tale of Thrall being enslaved and creating the first Horde.  
Noel and Edorion had recently finished on the Pandarian campaign. There was still some work to be done, be it helping their new friends on Sunsong Ranch, or assisting the Kirin Tor and Lady Jaina Proudmoore with the recent threat from a "Thunder King", but the two heroes were starting to itch for a new campaign, and little did they know that such a thing would be only around the corner.  
Three strikes hit the small wooden door. Noel finished his current victory lap of the room and be-lined for the door, whilst Edorion cleared away the Hearthstone board. On the other side of the door, standing a good foot taller than Noel, was another new friend Midknyt. He was an impressive Draenei shaman, although dressed in a full Shaman robes, he was clearly packed for adventure.  
"We have found him.”  
This could be only one person. Garrosh Hellscream. Noel had been there when Garrosh's trial had took place. He had witnessed everything the bronze dragons had shown on behalf of Baine's defence, and for Tyrande's prosecution. Noel had been there when it had all gone sour, when The Alliance and The Horde had been betrayed by a member of the bronze dragonflight, who had sent Garrosh back in time and disappeared with him, leaving behind them visions of Azeroth's heroes from their pasts who were intent on destroying their current partners. Luckily Noel had not been one of the ones brought back, but that didn't stop him helping the evacuation of civilians from the blows of the ones that had.  
"Where?", Noel had said gesturing his new friend inside.  
"Not where, but when." came Midknyt's response, "He has been sent back to his father's heyday, back on Draenor."  
"My god, Grommash and Garrosh re-united." Edorion had piped in, "If this is before the time they got cursed, we might be ok, but if it's after Gul'Dan's curse, we're screwed."  
There was a pause as all three heros contemplated the idea of the two Hellscream’s, in their prime, leading an army of Orcs on Azeroth. Despite their differences the Alliance and the Horde had endure so much over the last 10 years, but would they be able to sustain this?  
It was decided that the three heros would answer the call and prepare for the next adventure. They had given themselves one hour to pack. Noel went to the back of the room, where his armoured mannequin was watching over the apartment. His armour had changed dramatically since before the Pandarian expedition. His newly found gear shimmered in the light. It was a mixture of green and gold, with an Alliance tabard over the top. It had all be acquired on the mysterious Timeless Island. Emperor Shaohao had allowed adventurers to claim the long forgotten items littering his domain. Some of them had been harder to acquire than others, including a death defying tightrope walk across ropes strung between mountains, and even allowing himself to be picked up in the mouth of the largest albatross Noel had ever seen. This armour had served him well in the short time that he had had it in his collection. He slowly placed each piece of the armour on his body, starting with the boots, then trousers, chestguard, belt (to which he attached both of his trinkets), neck piece, wrist guards, one ring for each hand, gloves, and he finally decided to leave off his helm until he saw combat. Carefully placing it inside his already prepared backpack, NoelDarling headed for the Stormwind portal just outside the apartment building.  
Edorion and Midknyt were already sat in The Gilded Rose, their meeting point.  
“I’ve set everything up.” Midknyt explained, “Khadgar is awaiting us outside the Dark Portal”.  
“I’m not sure we’re ready for this”, Edorion sobbed into his bubbling beverage.  
Noel clapped a metallic hand onto his friend’s shoulder (which was also met with a metallic clank, as Edorion was also dressed neck to toe in his full plate armour. Midknyt, whist still wearing his shaman robes, underneath wore his full set of mail armour. Not quite as durable as plate, but allowed for more movement, which came in handy when he was summoning totems, and communing with the elements.  
“Nonsense, we are prepared for anything Hellscream can throw our way. Now my friends, shall we be off.?”  
Noel had missed this. The three of them left the inn, and made their way to the portal in the Mage District of Stormwind. They had decided to walk instead of mounting up, it would most likely be a long time until they saw the city again, and wanted to hold onto it for as long as possible. Exiting the inn, they were greeting by the hustle and bustle of the trade district square. To the left, lots of muffled shouts from the original Auction House. A gnome exited down the stairs, rubbing his hands together, mumbling about finally he could finish his greatest invention, as he headed for the nearest mailbox. To the right, more stairs leading to the Stormwind Counting House. A simple enough establishment to the naked eye, but underneath miles and miles of vaults, all containing the collected treasures and resources of every adventurer in the Alliance. The Gnome from before was heading up the stairs, this time with a crate of whirring devices in his hands. In the center of the square, erected a large fountain. Noel had fond memories of hot summers days sitting by the fountain, allowing the odd splash to cool him down, and sometimes allowing one of his mounts to fly up to the top tier of the fountain and have a quick drink. There was a tiny explosion from the bank, as the doors burst open, as the little gnome flew across the square landing on the second tier of the fountain, his previously green hair now a slightly burnt colour.  
The trio, chuckling to themselves, exiting the square in the direction of the Mage Tower. The crossed a small bridge over one of the canals that fill the city. Nearby, fishermen were trying their luck for the catch of the day. As they reached the other side, a glorious aroma hit them, for just around the corner, the King’s chef, Robbie Flay, was most likely cooking up something special for Varian and Anduin. Circling into the Mage District, they passed more shops, more locals, and a few Stormwind Squirrels. They eventually came to the great Mage Tower erected in a clearing, in the north west part of the district. They made their way up the long slope to the center of the tower. There were already other adventurers, heading the call to arms, and heading for the portal.  
“Where we’re going, we are going to need all the help we can get.” Edorion muttered.  
Eventually they reached the front of the line, and crossed the portal into the blasted lands. The portal’s exit location had been altered slightly due to the goings on with the portal. They were delivered slightly to the east, near the coast. Noel, Midnyt, and Edorion met in the middle of the newly, and crudely built camp. There were a few vendors and repair-masters setup to aid people on the start of their new journey. Each mounting up, the trio flew in the direction of the Dark Portal. Upon arrival, they saw a group of people standing at the foot of the stairs, Khadgar, Thrall, and Vindicator Maraad. Three of Azeroth’s greatest heroes.  
“Good timing” Khadgar yelled, as they landed and dismissed their mounts. “We are going to make the push through the portal, everyone follow me”  
Thrall and Maraad, ran towards the portal as a fresh wave of Orcs piled through. To witness these two legends in battle left Noel in awe.  
“Come on Darling, or there won’t be any Orcs left for us”, Edorion had yelled, giving Noel a quick jab to the shoulder, as he charged towards the Portal. With Midnyt bringing up the rear, Noel unsheathed his greatsword, Vera, and rushed towards the enemy. Savage, brown, and bloodthirsty, one by one these new orcs fell at the combined strength of Noel’s team and the legendary heroes. Eventually Khadgar, summoned enough energy to knock back all the orcs, as everybody rushed up the stairs to the eerily, blood red glow of the portal. With a kick to the chest, Thrall sent the last orc, back through, and they all followed. What they saw on the other-side, froze them in place. Where seeing Thrall in action had froze Noel in awe, this time, it was fear that held him in place. As far as the eye could see, a sea of brown angry orc was in-front of him. Members of the Alliance and Horde armies were in fierce combat with the front line Iron Horde.  
“Friends, I have a mission for you.” Khadgar’s words brought Noel round from his haze, and he was eager to help. “We have the main frontal assault covered, however whilst the portal is still active there is a chance more Orcs could make it to Azeroth. The two buildings either side are the power source of the portal, you must but a stop to that power, by any means necessary.”  
“FOR THE ALLIANCE” The trio’s war cry as they bounded down the stairs was heard all across the front line. Bodies of the dead from both Draenor and Azeroth all around them. The Dark Portal on this side had been built on a two tier plinth. The Portal itself was on top of the second tier, and the first tier encircled it. Down the stairs from the first tier, on the actual ground of Draenor itself, the 3 armies fought.  
“This way” Midnyt darted to the left, and called upon the element of air to send a bolt of lightning hurtling towards a group of orcs guarding the stone building housing one of the portal’s sources of power. Edorion charged the thunderstruck orcs, knocking one to the ground and immediately engage the other in combat. Noel was hot on Edorion’s tail, for as soon as the first orc had gotten back to his feet, Noel had called upon the light for aid, and knocked him permanently back to the ground. Edorion had also been victorious, as soon all three of them were entering the stone structure.  
All around them there was an eerie feeling. The spirits of those that had fallen in the battle outside were being used to power the portal. All around them; Orc, Human, Gnome, Draenei, Dwarf, Elf, Tauren, and Goblin spirits floated in the air. In the center there floated an orc, and he was alive.  
“You... strange invaders…” The imprisoned orc spoke. “You seek to disable the Dark Portal?, I can help you. Just... set me free. Destroy the relic, invader!” The orc gestured towards a floating stone relic just in front of him.  
“What shall we do?” Edorion asked, his two blades still in hand, “If he is imprisoned by the iron horde, then the enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?”  
Noel replied “I know this orc. This is Teron Gorefiend. We defeated him a few years back in the Black Temple. We really have gone back in time.”  
“Well we’ll have to kill him again”, Edorian unsheathed his sword.  
“Hold” Midnyt, held up a huge blue hand, “This orc is green, not brown, which doesn’t make him our enemy...yet”  
“True, and Khadgar ordered us to stop the power transfer to the portal, and this warlock is clearly the catalyst for that, or least one of them. Our choice is clear, Edorion, destroy the relic, Midnyt prepare a totem just in case our new friend isn’t as he seems, for now, he lives.”  
A short red totem appeared at the ground in-front of Midnyt, as Edorion, with sword raised, slashed the stone relic. The orc fell to the floor, and regained his composure.  
“The Shadow Council thanks you.”, With an evil grin towards the three heroes, he summoned a portal and was gone.  
The ground shook slightly and the heroes looked at each other.  
“The energies inside the room, have vanished, the portal is weaker.” reassured Midnyt, “I believe we should head to the other structure on the other side.” The other two agreed.  
They made their way back across the tier, taking out a handful of orcs on their way, until they stood outside the next structure.  
“Same plan?” asked Edorian.  
Noel nodded, and they walked in. The structure was a mirror image on the last one, save for in the middle was not an orc, but a Ogre Magi. Noel whispered a word under his breath: “Cho’gall”  
The Ogre mage had crossed paths with the three heroes before in their timeline. Cho’gall had been been behind the Garona incident at a peace talk in Theramore. He had then been a key player in the Twilight’s Hammer during the time of the great Cataclysm. The three heroes had been there in the Bastion Of Twilight, and sent Cho’gall plummeting into its heart, however just as with Gorefiend, here he was.  
The first of Cho’gall’s heads spoke: “You... outsider. Destroy that relic, and set us free.”, and the second added: “Crush the relic! Smash the relic!”  
“You realise that the same thing will happen as before if we release him.”  
“The events where we know Cho’gall havn’t occurred, and even now may never occur. We can’t go around killing major players in history, until they are a threat. For now, I don’t believe Cho’gall to be so. Edorian, if you wouldn't mind doing the honors again please.”  
Midnyt was correct. No sooner as Edorian had released him, Cho’gall summoned a portal, but managed to leave some parting advice: “Seek out Gul'dan if you truly wish to stop the Iron Horde. (Gul'dan! Gul'dan powers the portal!)”  
Deciding they should bring this to the attention of Khadgar, the three of them made their way back up to the mysterious mage, killing any orc in their path.  
“The portal is weakened, but it remains open. One option remains.” Khadgar sighed. “This portal is fueled by powers neither mechanically based nor arcane. Look to either side of us. The screaming souls of slain prisoners are being channeled into the heart of the portal itself, and they are channeling these souls through the body of Gul'dan. Find a way into the chamber beneath us, and do whatever it takes to get Gul'dan to stop his channeling. Our last hope rests on you three. Use whatever means are necessary, champions. Azeroth's final hope lies with you.”  
“Of course ArchMage.” Noeldarling replied.  
Looking around they quickly found a set of stairs leading underneath the portal, into a large room. Around the edges three more relics atop stones were channelling energy into the middle of the room, where atop an altar, hovered Gul’dan. around each of the stones, there also lingered more spirits.  
“Three stones, three of us. Gul’dan appears to have some form of barrier around him, we’ll deal with that after the stones.” Although not officially any higher in the ranks that Midnyt or Edorian, Noeldarling had always been the automatic leader, and the others looked up to him. They each set off to destroy the relics, however, upon approach, the spirits in this room, started to attack. Calling upon the light, the spirits were quickly exorcised back to the other side, and with a single swing of his greatsword, Noel had destroyed the first relic. He turned to see Midnyt striking his relic, and Edorion, whose relic was already destroyed, struggling to get a hit on the spirits that floated above the reach of his swing. Midnyt also seemed to notice, and quickly sent out a blast of Chained Lightning to strike them all down in one hit.  
The three re-grouped just in-front of Gul’dan, who was still in a trance.  
“Alright, Midnyt, i know you're not a mage, but is there anything…”  
Noel’s entire body suddenly went numb, and before he or anyone could stop himself, he fell backwards with loud clatter. Before they could take a step, Edorion and Midkynt fell too. Noel was left facing the ceiling unable to move his head. A lone orc’s face came into view. A rogue. Noel suddenly understood. He had been paralysed. ALthough the effects would be temporary, he realised they would be too long to stop this rogue finishing him off. With a smirk, the orc raised his dagger, and stared Noel down. Suddenly an arrow hit the rogue square in the chest causing him to recoil. When the orc looked up, a giant feline figure had pounced into the orc, and even as the orc’s throat was severed, still more arrows flew through the air and hit his body on the floor.  
“Well done Steven”  
Noel had heard that voice before. But it can’t be? Here? No way.  
Stepping into Noel’s vision was that of a face he had never seen before in his life, yet he knew instantly who it was.  
“Tell me, how have you survived this long without me, eh?” Drackmore chuckled. Noel’s old war buddy was stood in front of him, no longer in the guise of a Troll, and not in the original form of the female Draenei, but that of a bald, bearded Human. “I suppose you want me to heal you of your stun as well?” Drackmore, opened a pouch on his belt, and blew a purple dust on the three frozen figures on the ground. Extending an had, Drackmore pulled Noel to his feet.  
“Drack? Is it really you? What happened?”  
“First, i need to apologise to you. I should never have made the pact with the warlock to join the Horde. I was just tired of losing all the time, and not being able to finish anything that i started. being Horde was ok in the first few months or so, but it never felt right. So i started trying to find a way to reverse it. I found a Goblin who said he had a way, but that it came with a price. Not only did it cost me almost all my gold, but that he couldn’t guarantee what race of The Alliance i would be. So now i’m not only a man, but a human too.” Drackmore smiled at Noel, who took a few steps forward and hugged his best friend.  
“What a charming reunion.” Edorian butted in, “But can we get back to the task at hand”.  
“Right. Midnyt?”.

“Just say the word”.  
“Do it”.  
Midnyt stomped a hoofed foot at the barrier around Gul’dan, and instantly there was the sound of a magical explosion from above, followed by the crashing sound of what they assumed was the stone structure of the portal collapsing. Gul’dan landed on the floor, and opened his eyes. Just as before he produced a portal out of thin air, and before stepping through, muttered: “We will meet again…”


End file.
